By Chandran Iyer
Santosh Kumar Jha is a highly accomplished individual who has been making waves as the Chairman and Managing Director of Konkan Railway Corporation Limited . With his extensive experience in operations, infrastructure planning, and business development, he has been instrumental in elevating the rail network to new heights.
Under his leadership, Konkan Railway has become a model of efficiency, operating with one-third of the manpower of similar-sized divisions of Indian Railways, making it three times more efficient.
He said ,KRCL boasts the creation of many engineering marvels including construction of 52.2 kms of railway line for Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link(USBRL) in Jammu and Kashmir at a cost of Rs 19,000 crore. Iconic Chenab bridge and Anji bridge are a part of the prestigious project.
“Other major projects such as Rail Connectivity to National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd (NTPC) plants at Kudgi in Karnataka and Gadarwada in Madhya Pradesh at a total cost of Rs 1151.50 Cr have been successfully completed by KRL” , he added.
Mr Jha said KRCL has also completed the works of track doubling between Roha-Veer station at a cost of Rs 590 crore and construction of eight new crossing stations and new loop lines at eight stations worth Rs 250 crore.
Jha said the entire Konkan railway route was opened for traffic during the year 1998 and since then there is rapid growth in passenger trains every year due to heavy demand and KR being the shortest rail link between Northern &Western India with southern part of the country. More than 30 million passengers travelled over KR during the last year itself.
Under Jha’s leadership, Konkan Railway is poised to achieve great things, and his poetic talent is just the icing on the cake. His ability to think outside the box and explore new opportunities is a testament to his innovative spirit, and his commitment to the organization is evident in everything he does . Whether he’s overseeing the construction of metro systems or supplying metro coaches, Jha is a true visionary who is shaping the future of Indian Railways.
Jha’s vision for Konkan Railway is not just limited to its operational efficiency, but also to explore new business opportunities. He has been aggressively marketing the rail network to divert road traffic to rail, and his efforts have paid off with the commissioning of two major container rail terminals and one inland container depot . His connections with the Container Corporation of India have also helped turn around container transport in the Konkan region.
But what’s fascinating about Santosh Kumar Jha is that he’s not just a seasoned executive, but also a poet at heart. As a leader, he’s able to balance his creative side with his professional responsibilities, making him a unique and inspiring figure in the world of Indian Railways.
